Garter supporter



Feb. 10, 1953 A. EILERTSEN 2,627,639

GARTER SUPPORTER Filed April 24, 1952 M75? INVENTOR.

7; 1mm? 112K Patented Feb. 10, 1953 orrics 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a fastener for securing a garment such as stockings, to a garter.

The prime requisite of such a fastener is to expedite the fastening operation without damaging the garment or loss of fastening efficiency, While keeping the fabrication cost-s to a bare minimum.

Consequently one of the objects of this invention is to provide a fastener which can easily be operated merely by the sense of feeling and which will not injure the fastened garment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garter fastener which is preferably made of one integral piece of material, preferably plastic, although other suitable materials may be used.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a garter fastener made of one piece of material so formed that one portion of the piece is relatively movable longitudinally to apply a clamping force against another portion.

Other objects and structural details will be apparent from the subjoined description and attached drawings, in which:

Figure l is a rear perspective view.

Figure 2 is a front perspective view.

Figure 3 is a rear View showing the tab flexed.

Figure 4 is a rear elevation view.

Figures 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views thru 55 and 66 respectively of Figure 4.

Figure 7 shows an application of the invention to an undergarment.

Referring to the drawings, the garter fastener I9 comprises the body plate ll of wedge-shaped contour having the upper slot 12 for garter securing purposes, the lower rounded portion 43 and the converging edges Id and I5. Formed in the center of the plate H is the tab receiving perforation comprising the circular portion I6 and the wedge-shaped portion ii. The circular portion communicates with the vertical slot l8, which results from severing the tab neck [9 from the body portion I I, the neck lying in front of the plate II, as indicated in the drawings. Thus, tab neck 19 is attached to the body ll only at the area 20, and is on the plate side remote from the wearer.

The tab 2| results from severing the tab material from plate H along the circular portion and the wedge portion I1, and is located in front of the plate II. To provide clearance for the wedging action, a portion 2! of the tab adjacent the lowermost portion of the wedge portion I! is removed.

Referring especially to Figure 5, it is seen that the tab is provided with a tapering peripheral 2 channel 22 of at least depth adjacent portion I3 to receive the edges 23 and 24 of the central perforation comprising portions 45 and I].

Neck I9 is kinked as at 25, the kink lying adjacent to impart a substantial degree of flexibility to the tab, whereby the tab may be moved relative to the body portion.

In operation, the tab 2| is moved longitudinally of the perforation until the circular portions of the tab and perforation are in alignment (the material of the garment of course being between the tab and the body), By inserting 21 into the circular perforation portion It, the channel 22 will be opposite the edges 23 of the body portion. If now the tab is forced downward, the channel 22 will bind with the edges 23 and 24 due to the wedge shapes, thereby securing the garment material therebetween.

The operation can be performed without the use of ones eyes by merely pressing the tab against the body and giving the tab an upward motion. When the circular portions are in alignment, the tab will fall into the perforation, giving an audible signal, whereupon a tab downward motion results in the completion of the fastening operation, leaving the clearance shown at 26 in Figure 5. Note that in addition to the sense of feeling, the operator is also guided by the audible signal.

It should be noted that the outside surface presents a fiat smooth surface, so that no other outer garment will be caught on the fastener. It will be also noted that the device is relatively thin, and does not cause an unsightly bulge when the wearer is in sitting position.

Due to the integral construction, the entire device can be made from a single piece of material by stamping, cutting, or other conventional methods, therefore resulting in minimum fabricating costs.

An economical material such as flexible plastic is preferred since the construction lends itself admirably to fabrication from such a material.

The fastener can be used by either men, women or children.

Due to the elongated form of the tab, the stresses applied to the garment are distributed over a greater area than in the conventional forms resulting in less wear and tear on the garment, while providing a greater securing force upon the said garment.

It should be further understood that my invention may be constructed in more than one piece, if so desired, that is, tab neck I9, area 20, and kink 25, may be made from a separate piece of material, and furthermore, it should be distinctly understood, although I prefer my device to be made from plastic material, that other suitable materials may be utilized in the construction of my invention, and therefore my invention is not limited to the specific use of a single piece of material, and also to that of plastic material.

Other forms resulting from numerous changes in size, shape and material, may be resorted to within the inventive scope.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus set forth and described the nature of the invention, what is claimed is:

A garter fastener comprising a wedge-shaped plate having a central perforation, the said perforation consisting of a narrow substantially rectangular top portion leading into a circular upper portion and the latter continuing into a wedgeshaped lower portion, a tab of a configuration complementary to that of the said perforation integrally connected at its upper end to the said plate, the said tab having at its upper end a narrow strip curved out of the plane of the said tab, in order to provide resiliency in the relative longitudinal movement between the said tab and the said plate, the said tab having a channel along its peripheral edges receiving the edges of the perforation of the said plate, the said tab being slightly raised relative to the said plate in inoperative position, whereby a slight downward movement of the said tab will result in a wedging interaction between the tab and the plate for fastening to a garment.

ADOLPH EILERTSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 978,024 Humphery Dec. 6, 1910 2,021,619 Waters Nov. 19, 1935 2,089.378 Jenkins Aug. 10, 1937 2,127,666 Parker Aug. 23, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 803,476 France Oct. 1, 1936 

